


For You, I will Cross Any Waters

by MiniNoire



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Lila Rossi (one sided and enemies), Adrien stands up to things, Adriplagg moments, Alya as a mermaid, Angst, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Banter, Comfort, Couffaine family as selkies!, Cute lukanette moments, Denial of Feelings, Evil Lila Rossi, F/M, Feels, Flirting, Fluff, Flustered Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Friendship, Gabriel arranges Adrien's marriage, Hugs, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila is adrien's fiancee, Love, Matchmaker Alya Césaire, Mermaid Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Mermaid water magic, Minor Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Plagg is a cat!, Platonic Lukanette, Pranks, Romance, Some Humor, Teasing, Tikki being the adviser, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25179001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNoire/pseuds/MiniNoire
Summary: "Love knows no reason, no boundaries, no distance. It has a sole intention of bringing people together to a time called forever."A Mermaid AU based off on LadyNoir July 2020 prompts.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Lila Rossi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Plagg, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Juleka Couffaine/Rose Lavillant, Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 50
Kudos: 42





	1. The Wall Between Us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BLUEMoonMessenger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BLUEMoonMessenger/gifts).



> Mini's back! (for some time)
> 
> Welp, I looked at the July prompts and got a churning of an idea but was like, _Nada, not now, Idk if I can manage to write_ Then, BlueMoonMessenger prompted me to give it a try and welp, here I am! Hope you enjoy, always appreciating hits, kudos and comments :D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I promise upon everything I love, that this cat of yours, your Chat Noir, he will tear down this wall between us, brick-by-brick, piece-by-piece. I would do anything to be with you, M’Lady, and there’s no force in the world that can stop me from doing that and keep me apart from you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Khanofallorcs for beta reading!

The night was silent, a cold breeze was blowing, rustling the leaves of the trees that stood by the river. The full moon shimmered on the calm waters, causing them to sparkle. Serenity shrouded the entire area.

All of a sudden, the grass rustled. In the faint moonlight, two cloaked silhouettes emerged from the shadows. They tiptoed through the grass, throwing hurried glances behind their backs lest anyone should follow them. 

The duo reached the riverbank, their breaths heavy. The taller of the two looked up at the moon, their emerald green eyes shining in a melancholic way. The shorter figure grabbed their hand and squeezed it slightly, pulling the taller figure’s attention to them.

Green eyes crinkled behind the black leather mask as a small, sad smile was etched on the tall person’s face. Returning a watery smile of their own, the shorter figure reached up to press a kiss to the taller figure’s cheek, then backed off and jumped into the river.

A spray of water hit the person on the river bank, drenching them a bit. Shaking the water off of them self, they held their breath and kept staring at the now-calm river waters. The person was breathing a bit heavily — It was a monthly routine, this rendezvous, but yet, it did take time to get used to sneak-outs.

As they counted to ten, the water’s surface trembled once again, before being completely disturbed by a form rising out from the river’s depths. The person’s breath hitched as they took in the form of the beauty that had arisen.

“M’Lady,” came their raspy voice, the deep voice indicating them to be a male.

The addressed being turned her head towards the source of sound, before flashing a beautiful smile at him. The man on the riverbank took in the way her bluebell eyes crinkled, her damp-yet-miraculously-smooth raven locks lying on her left shoulder and glimmering a beautiful blue under the enticing moonlight.

She swam towards him, and no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. The way her body moved, in sync with the river’s waters, as if she had known them since birth—

“Chaton,” her sugary-sweet voice broke him out of his trance, bringing him back to reality as he once again looked into her sparkling eyes.

She had reached the river bank, and had propped herself up using her elbows. Up close, the man could count the freckles that dotted that pretty face of hers below those red-and-black scales that covered the upper part of her face. He could smell the earthy smell on her, along with the faint perfume of the bakery they had been in earlier that night. He could admire her perfect form, from her face to her hair to her smile to the —

—the red and black fishtail that swam lazily in the waters behind her.

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Chat crouched down on the ground to the mermaid’s eye level, his expression full of adoration for her. 

“Did you enjoy your trip today, M’Lady?”

The mermaid blushed, causing him to smirk a bit, before she returned a soft nod to him.

A fragrant smell blew in from the nearby flowers, as moonlight shone lazily upon the pair. They stayed like that, in a comfortable silence, away from the worries of the world. A mermaid and her human lover, both enjoying the comfort that the other’s company brought to them.

“Ladybug,” the man rasped out, breaking the silence.

Sad bluebell eyes met curious emerald green, and the next words that hung in the air— they didn’t need to be conveyed.

“Chat, you know, it’s—it’s not feasible, not possible. It’s ...unnatural and unsafe. I am a mermaid and you a human. We—we can’t—”

“M’Lady, love—it has no boundaries. No restrictions. Who are we to define them, then?”

“Your kind hunts my kind, Chaton,” Ladybug said, unshed tears shimmering in her eyes. She ducked her head low, not letting him see her weak.

“I know Bug, and I hate them for that,” he said truthfully, swiping a gloved thumb under her eyes. His heart clenched on seeing her like that — sad, pained…

“M’Ladybug,” Chat said, his voice containing a tone of finality that caused the mermaid to look up at him.

“I promise upon everything I love, that this cat of yours, your Chat Noir—” the man said confidently, looking up at the clear night sky, “—he will tear down this wall between us, brick-by-brick, piece-by-piece. I would do anything to be with you, M’Lady, and there’s no force in the world that can stop me from doing that and keep me apart from you.”

“I—Chaton,” Ladybug stammered, her breath hitching.

He looked down at her, his green eyes twinkling with adoration, with _pure love_ for her. His next words came out as an impossibly soft whisper, a whisper that the breeze was kind enough to carry over to her.

“ _Cat’s honour._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates are not going to be calendar bound, but yes, I have plans to complete it sooner or later. Stay tuned!
> 
> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


	2. StarGazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's day 2! Thanks to wtfjusthappened, Little_Tycoon and Khanofallorcs for beta reading! ^ ^ Also, thanks for the hits, kudos and comments too :)

“You are here quite early today,” Ladybug said, her tone a bit confused.

“Well, I can’t stay away from you for long, M’Lady.” Chat winked at her, causing her to giggle as she shook her head.

“Silly kitty,” she fondly whispered, then looked up at the night sky.

A cool breeze blew as Chat turned his gaze up to the sky too. The moon was still low, making the diamonds of the inky black sky present their twinkling beauty in full glory.

Laying on the soft green grass in the company of the Lady he adored—

—he sure was a lucky black cat.

But he wanted to include her in his life. To be with her, by her side, always, and not meeting her in secret away from the eyes of the world. He wanted to introduce his Lady to the world, without the fear of —

“Chat?” 

Her soft voice broke him out of his thoughts, causing him to turn his luminescent gaze to her.

“The stars look beautiful tonight, don’t they?” She whispered in awe, her bluebell eyes shining.

Smiling at her, Chat reached forward to lightly run his hand through her hair. “They sure are, Bugaboo, but all the stars lose their beauty in front of you.”

“Flatterer,” Ladybug whispered, rolling her eyes in amusement before she turned her gaze up back to the stars.

Chat stared at her beautiful face, etching the visage into his memory, before sighing and joining her in stargazing.

A comfortable silence settled between the two.

“You know, M’Lady? Chat whispered, capturing the mermaid’s attention, “When I was a child, I often used to stargaze with Maman. We would spot all the different constellations we could see, and sometimes even make our own.”

Ladybug giggled and said in adoration, “Wow, that’s...that’s cute.”

Chat chuckled along, then turned back to gazing at the stars.

“See that ‘U’ shape over there?” Ladybug suddenly spoke up, pointing in a direction.

Chat followed her gaze. At first he couldn’t see a thing, but as he looked with more attention, he could make out the faint ‘U’-shape the dim stars were making.

“That’s the Corona Borealis, also known as The Northern Crown,” Ladybug informed him, a soft smile dancing on her lips.

“Cool, I wonder if I can get that crown for you, M’Lady,” Chat said in a teasing voice, leaning close to the mermaid’s face.

“Always the flatterer you are, aren’t you, kitty?” Ladybug said as she booped Chat’s nose and pushed him away, giggling at his cute pouting face.

“Legend has it that it represented the crown that Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, wore at her wedding,” the mermaid said, looking back up at the sky.

“Ariadne— she’s from Greek mythology, right?”

“Yes,” the mermaid confirmed, before continuing. “Her ball of thread helped Theseus defeat the Minotaur and find his way out of the labyrinth. Theseus gave her the crown when they married. The crown was created by the supreme goldsmith of the gods, Hephaestus.”

“Woah, cool,” Chat whistled, then turned his attention back to Ladybug. “Hey, you close your eyes now.”

“Why?” she asked, curiously.

“Well, it’s my turn to make you spot a constellation, duh.”

Ladybug giggled, but then closed her eyes. Chat looked at the sky, gazing hard and trying to make out indeterminate shapes, until a familiar constellation came into his view.

“Look over there!” Chat exclaimed, causing Ladybug to open her eyes and look in the direction he pointed.

“Do you see it?” Chat asked, excitement dripping from his voice.

Ladybug squinted hard, pushing her torso out of water as much as she could, as if she was trying to reach close to the sky to get a good look at what Chat was pointing at. Her expression was so cute that Chat had to bite his lower lip hard in order to stop the laughter from escaping him.

“That array of stars, Bug. A small shape with kind of a _very long_ tail?” Chat explained, helping her as much as he could.

The mermaid continued to squint till her eyes were nearly shut, then all of a sudden she straightened up, opening her eyes as she exclaimed, “Voilà!”

“Did you see it?’ Chat asked again eagerly.

“Yes! It’s a very long tail! I have never seen this constellation before, what’s this called?” Ladybug asked excitedly.

“It’s the Draco, the dragon. Maman told me a story about it, too. Wanna hear?”

Ladybug looked at him with her eyes shining with excitement, “Oh , _chaton_ , please do tell!”

Letting out a slight cough, Chat started speaking in a comically deep voice, “In Greek mythology, the dragon was Ladon, a monstrous beast with a hundred heads chosen by Hera to guard the golden apples of immortality. These apples grew in the garden of the Hesperides, located in a far western corner of the world, near the Atlas mountains at the edge of the encircling Oceanus, the world ocean. Ladon was slain by Hercules in the eleventh of his twelve labors.”

As he stopped, Ladybug let out a small chuckle. “Oh, kitty, you and your theatrics. But wow, that’s quite an interesting tale!”

“I know right! Also, Draco was believed to be the guardian of the star that never moves, the celestial pole. In ancient times, the pole star was believed to be the doorway between the mortal world and eternity,” Chat added further.

“Woah! I wonder if this door between mortal world and eternity exists…” Ladybug said in an awed whisper.

“I don’t know about that, M'Lady, but there’s one thing I am certain of.”

Chat reverently picked up the mermaid’s red-scaled hand, bringing it to his lips and causing her breath to hitch slightly.

“No matter wherever we are, for you, I would cross any waters, My Ladybug.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


	3. In Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"There are some thoughts you can't avoid and some feelings you can't deny."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Khanofallorcs and LambdaSoup for beta reading!

“And then she dragged me around the ballroom, keeping herself attached to my arm as I met several new faces today,” Chat said, his head buried between his arms as he lay on the grass, accompanied by Ladybug as she peeped up at him from the water.

Ladybug giggled, causing the man in black to look up at her with an eyebrow raised up.

“Here your friend was literally tortured the entire night, and you are giggling at his expense? Bad Bugaboo,” he said while wagging a finger, his voice mock-chiding.

Ladybug let out another giggle and flipped in the water, coming out again and splashing some water on Chat’s face, eliciting a “ **_Hey!_ ** ” from him.

“Well, this Chloé girl does sound a bit too clingy. Maybe she has a crush~~” the mermaid singsonged, chuckling at how Chat’s face blanched.

“Crush? On me? Bleh!” The man stuck his tongue out, his eyes squeezed shut as his face contorted into an expression of slight disgust. “Chloé’s like a sister to me. Me and her? No no no!”

Ladybug laughed again as Chat pouted. But then, a sly smirk etched on the blond man’s face as he said in a low tone, “Plus, I would rather love to have danced with you, M’Ladybug.”

The half-girl half-fish chuckled a bit in confusion, her voice wavering a little, “Chat, you do know that —”

“I don’t care Ladybug. I am just telling you the truth.”

The light atmosphere suddenly turned tense. A small frown etched on the girl’s beautiful visage as she mumbled, “A love relationship between—between mermaids and humans?”

“Yes! What’s wrong with that, M’Lady?” Chat asked, his tone demanding answers.

“Everything’s wrong with it Chat!” Ladybug argued back, her voice rising with each word. “It’s unnatural, unsafe, idiotic, sheer stupidity! A mermaid and a human in love— that’s something unjustified by Nature herself!” 

“My love for you is unconditional, Ladybug. Please, just give me one chance,” Chat said softly, his gloved hand resting where his heart would be. “One chance is all that I ask for.”

Unshed tears pricked at her eyes, and Ladybug could see Chat’s eyes shimmering too. They were so near, yet so far. Sure, he may love her, but —

“I am sorry, Chaton,” the mermaid whispered softly, her head duck down as she turned back to face the waters. “This is an argument we both can’t win. I guess it’s better for us to give each other some space.”

She dived into the water, ignoring Chat’s desperate call of “Ladybug, wait!”

Ladybug kept swimming near the surface, keeping herself below the waterline as she observed her masked friend’s distorted reflection. She saw as he clenched and unclenched his fist, the pained expression clear on his face. 

He paced around a bit, and Ladybug’s sharp hearing could hear him muttering “Stupid me” repeatedly. Finally, picking up a stone, Chat had almost gotten ready to throw it in the water when on second thought, he pulled back and threw it somewhere on land instead. 

As her heart clenched painfully, Ladybug saw him grumble and depart, his head hung low and posture totally slouched.

Swimming down to the depths of the river, the mermaid tried to will herself to calm down and breathe. 

_ Try being the keyword. _

Chat’s declaration from two days ago, and his confession of his love for her today — it all had created a maelstrom in her heart, the emotions she had meticulously buried inside herself surfacing back in full force. 

The relationship she and Chat had — it had been wrong from the very start. His kind hunted hers for no reason. From a very young age, the ten words had been engraved deep in her mind.

_ Humans are the most ruthless monsters in the entire world. _

Yet, here she was, having formed a bond of trust with a  _ human _ , going exactly against what she had been preached about. It wasn’t a friendship — it was something deeper, something more true and real and, and—

—it was equally maddening and horrifying.

Shaking her head and ignoring the chirping of her earrings, Ladybug tried her best to shove the thoughts back into some dark, isolated corner of her mind. But the stupid musings didn’t even budge an inch. 

Letting out a frustrated sound, she clutched at her hair, her head swimming in confusion. It was only when her earrings gave a final chirp and the red glow of her detransformation surrounded her that she came back to reality.

Her red and black scale mask faded away to leave behind a clear face. Her huge red-and-black decorated mermaid tail faded away too, leaving behind a slightly smaller yet beautiful pink tail, softer in appearance than her earlier one.

“Marinette—” the little fish that had come out of her earrings spoke softly to the distraught mermaid, reaching out for her.

In response, Marinette just waved the fish away, shaking her head as she zoomed through the water at a fast speed, attempting to escape from her mind-boggling thoughts.

“Marinette, wait!” The tiny being shouted, swimming fast to catch up with the mermaid. It was after a good couple of minutes that she caught up with her.

“Marinette, you can’t run away from reality, no matter how much you want to,” the red and black polka dotted creature said, her tone full of concern and worry.

“But, Tikki,” Marinette wailed, her expression pained, “I—I just simply can’t be in—no, it’s not good, this is too early, too quick— it can’t be happening!”

“Marinette, breathe!” Tikki interrupted her ramblings. 

Marinette did so, and tried her best to calm herself down. The tiny fish swam around her, entangling herself in the mermaid’s long hair.

“Say, what are you in denial of, Marinette?” Tikki asked calmly.

“I—I can’t be in love with Chat, Tikki. I just can’t,” Marinette replied, her voice quavering.

“Why? Is it impossible?”

“...No.”

“Is loving him a crime?”

“...No.”

“Then?”

“It’s—” the mermaid searched for reasons, the reasons that had freaked her out a few moments ago. Somehow, on hearing Tikki’s questions, all of those baseless doubts had just...vaporised. Getting her bearings back, Marinette whispered, “It’s...too quick. Too soon, ‘Cause the relationship me and Chat have is deeper than friendship, and there can be only one explanation that —”

Tikki giggled lightly, causing Marinette to blush. “Just that? Oh dear Mari, just because you have a cordial relationship with someone that’s deeper than friendship, that doesn’t mean that it’s love. You could still be in between, you can still give it time, a chance. Who knows, maybe it is the forever you have been waiting for?”

The mermaid’s breath hitched a bit at her friend’s words. Tikki was...right. 

The feelings she had for Chat, she could not define them as ‘love’. But it sure was something. A tiny, warm, budding feeling that grew a bit every time she saw the mischievous sparkle of his eyes, the teasing smirk of his, the excited tone of his voice.

It was something small and yet something that she treasured a lot. A feeling that was pure, exhilarating and, and —

— _ miraculous _ .

A miraculous feeling that sure was worth being given a chance. A chance that it deserved and would definitely get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


	4. Disguises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "IT WAS NOT FUNNY!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to BLUEMoonMessenger and Khanofallorcs for beta reading :) Also, heads up, mermaids in this AU have **both** lungs and gills for overwater and underwater breathing. Unless not surprised, they can talk normally in water. Swallowing water _does_ affect their lungs.

Ladybug was repentant.

Two days ago, her small argument with Chat had led to an abrupt end to their conversation. Tikki’s words of advice had helped the mermaid realize the worth of giving her kitty a chance, but now that she wanted to talk to him, he was nowhere to be seen.

The day before too, Ladybug had spent the entire night swimming near the river banks, waiting for her Chaton to no avail. As the first rays of dawn had hit the water’s surface, she had given up and went back home, only to return back that night and keep a watch on the riverbanks again.

The moon had been just above the horizon when she had arrived, and now it was overhead and there was still no sign of Chat. Ladybug silently waited underwater, lost in her own thoughts.

_Maybe he’s still angry about our little argument. But if he truly loves me, would a small argument make that much of a difference?_

_But then again, his words...it seems like these meetings..they mean quite a lot to him. What if I accidentally hurt his feelings and now he hates me and I lost my best friend due to my sheer stupidity?_

_No, Ladybug, now’s not the time for negative thoughts. Focus on the task at hand and just wait._

But even then, no matter how good or noble the goal is, waiting for what seems like eternity is hardly possible for anyone.

After what seemed like another hour of futile waiting, Ladybug finally gave up, deciding to try again the next night. She had just turned around and prepared to go back when the sound of grass rustling reached her ears.

Specifically, the sound of soft footsteps.

Curiosity caught her as she wondered who would be around late night at such a secluded place. Maybe it was Chat? But then again, he used to come early so that he could spend time with her. What if it was someone else?

No. If there was one thing Ladybug had gathered from her two-month old friendship with Chat Noir, it was that her kitty was very different from the humans she had been taught about. He was kind, generous, funny and cute, but above all, he was extremely loyal and trustworthy.

Maybe Chat had come to see her but didn’t want to show himself? Maybe he was trying to stay low, still keeping his distance from her and giving them both the time to think about this mess.

Whatever it was above waters, she could only know by investigating. Following her gut to check out whether there was danger above or not, Ladybug swam back to the surface, keeping her movements as slow as possible. 

She peeked up a little, her raven locks floating behind her in the water as her bluebell eyes were the only other part of her body that lay above the water’s level. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest with the anticipation of what was coming next. Taking a deep breath in with her gills, Ladybug inched closer to the shore and lifted herself up slightly.

The grass blocked her field of vision a lot, but she could make out a man’s boots and their yellow slacks. One thing was certain — this person wasn’t her Chat. Chat preferred black, for in his words, “it made his green eyes pop out a lot.”

_Ugh, Ladybug, think about the dork later, right now, focus!_

The mermaid now had another task on hand — to determine whether this stranger ventured here on accident or with a purpose. And if it was the second option, there were high chances that the purpose was less benevolent and more malicious.

For a moment, she feared that the intruder would sense her presence by the mere sound of her heartbeat. But the person kept pacing around, seemingly lost in their own world. Bracing herself and praying to her lucky stars, Ladybug took another leap of faith as she inched a bit higher, now being able to see the man’s shirt, which was interestingly yellow too.

The little designer in her was about to reprimand this stranger’s sense of fashion when all of a sudden—

“ **_BOO!_ **” 

A massive, grinning yellow head looked at her upside down, his grin so eerie that the mermaid gave a startled shriek and fell back into the water. Horror had struck her so bad that she continued screaming in water, and only stopped when the water entered her lungs, choking her a bit.

As she coughed and focused on getting the damned water out of her system, Ladybug heard a roar of laughter from above. A laughter that was too familiar.

Shooting towards the surface, the angry mermaid glared at a laughing Chat Noir who was rolling on the grass, wheezing and clutching his stomach as he continued to laugh. The massive grinning yellow banana head from earlier lay by his side, looking as innocent as a kid who had been caught stealing cookies.

After what seemed like a good five minutes, the masked man calmed down a bit and got up to meet the sparking eyes of his Lady. He stayed silent for a moment, then burst out laughing again, rolling back on the grass as he wheezed and panted for air.

Fuming, Ladybug splashed the water with her tail, her face appearing a bright red under the soft moonlight, “IT WAS NOT FUNNY!”

“OH LORD—” Chat wheezed, trying to get himself up and failing miserably as another bout of laughter caught him, “Bugaboo, you should—you should have seen that—your face. Oh lord! Who knew that the brave Ladybug would be so—so easy to— HAHAHA!”

Chat once again burst out into laughter, causing the mermaid to flush red in embarrassment.

“I-I wasn’t—Anyone would have been scared seeing that!” she defended herself, pouting.

The man winked at her, “I will accept that excuse if it saves your reputation, Bug.”

She rewarded him with a light smack of her tail.

“I was so worried about you! You—you idiot!” Ladybug huffed, causing Chat to take a double take.

“You—you were worried about me?”

“Of course I was! What kind of a stupid question is that?! You matter to me, Chaton!” Ladybug replied back, her expression pained.

Chat remained silent for a moment, then let out a mirthless chuckle as he bent down on the grass to her level, “I—I thought I had offended you, Bug. By repeatedly bringing that topic up. That’s why I even planned this prank, as an apology. I—I didn’t want to worry you and—”

He was interrupted as Ladybug suddenly pulled him by the collar and hugged him tight. Surprised and shocked at the sweet gesture first, Chat relaxed and hugged back. Feeling her sigh into his shoulder, his heart swelled. He gave her a little squeeze, causing her to hum in approval and nuzzle into his shoulder. Chat reached under her waist where her tail began and pulled her completely out of water, making her comfortable as they shared the hug, both muttering sweet “Sorry”’s to each other.

As moonlight shimmered upon the sweet pair, they both felt like a missing part of them had finally returned, and everything was once again back to being normal, beautiful and _miraculous_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My stomach's doing flip-flops like a mermaid (okay, that's a bit cringe) for reasons unknown...in other words, happy sick day to me welp! Hope I will be able to update soon though, till then, stay Miraculous! <3
> 
> Check out this [beautiful fanart ](https://art-the-f-up.tumblr.com/post/623695192087822337/i-blame-noirewrites-and-the-amazing-mermaid)by Art-the-F-up on tumblr!
> 
> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


	5. Banter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a moment, Ladybug was transfixed. Seeing Chat’s eyes twinkle with mischief, she caught the implied meaning.  
>  _Ladybug 0, Chat Noir 1._  
>  _Oh, two can play at this game, mister._  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Back in full force! Here's chapter 5! Thanks to theriveroflight and Khanofallorcs for beta reading! :D

“Were you waiting for long?” Ladybug asked, panting a bit from her underwater dash.

“Nah, it’s all good. So, how was your day today?” Chat asked, smiling as he languidly plucked at the grass nearby while laying on his back.

“It was wonderful. We had an impromptu mermaid’s ball which was for, well, me, and uhm, it was supposed to run late till the night but—”

“You ran away? Or should I say, _swam_ away?” Chat chuckled.

Ladybug shrugged. “You got me.”

“How funny,” the man grinned at her. 

There was a moment of silence before Chat asked ruefully, “A ball for finding a suitor?”

“How did you know?” Ladybug gaped at him.

The man chuckled again. “We both ran away from our balls. Guess we _mermaid_ for each other, M’Lady.” He winked at her.

The mermaid stared blankly at him. “Did you — did you just pun, _chaton_?”

The blond flopped himself to lay on his stomach, staring into the eyes of his lady love. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. My green grassy eyes are just enjoying the heavenly rains of your eyes, Bugaboo.”

“Oh, so we are being flirty, hm?” Ladybug rolled her eyes. “No wonder I want to drown you right now.”

“Aww, Bugaboo,” Chat cooed, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and making her breath hitch, before he continued, “Trust me, I am drowning in your eyes. I bet it was hard for God to make your eyes out of pure, crystal-clear ocean water.”

For a moment, Ladybug was transfixed. Seeing Chat’s eyes twinkle with mischief, she caught the implied meaning.

_Ladybug 0, Chat Noir 1._

_Oh, two can play at this game, mister,_ Ladybug thought to herself. Then, smirking, she leaned a little closer as she stared deep into Chat’s eyes.

“Well, if He took mine from the ocean, kitty, then yours are purely emerald.”

Given his flabbergasted expression, he certainly hadn’t been expecting a comeback.

_Ladybug 1, Chat Noir 1._

As silence stretched on between the pair, Ladybug started noting the proximity the two shared. Somehow, the way his breath fanned her face and his eyes stared deep into hers, it made her feel as if she had left her stomach back at the mermaid ballroom. Even Chat was panting, his slightly dilated pupils giving his transformation a more realistic, feral appearance.

“Do you feel it too?” Chat asked in a low tone. A tone that undeniably sent a slight shiver through her spine to the end of her tail.

“Feel what?” Ladybug asked, her voice quavering a bit.

Chat reached forward to cup her face as he lightly brushed his thumb across her cheek, his voice barely above a whisper. “I bet the water’s temperature must have gone up, now that you are here, Ladybug.”

A wave of feelings that had been stirring in her heart for Lord knows how long crashed upon the mermaid now in full force. She hadn’t wanted to attend the ball because—because it felt like double-crossing her kitty. Even if she was uncertain about her feelings for him. 

Passion and love were fighting against sanity for dominance, with her emotions winning the battle.

This conversation, it wasn’t a competition or banter now. It was the truth of the denied emotions being revealed in the passion of the moment.

Her mind was confuzzled, her heart feeling heavy with the burden of denial. And finally, she decided to let loose her burden.

That was when a sound caught her attention. It wasn’t the ragged breathing of her or her kitty, or their racing hearts. It sounded more like a gasp of surprise, exclamation and—

Warning signals flashing in her mind, Ladybug leaned back in an instant, her brow furrowed as she lowered herself into the river till her eyes were the only body part of hers peeking out.

“Someone’s here,” she whispered to Chat as he looked at her in confusion. 

Eyes widening a bit, the man gave her a subtle nod before getting up and walking leisurely around the place, whistling nonchalantly all the while. 

Returning after what seemed like eternity, Chat laid down on the grass again, causing Ladybug to resurface.

“No one was there, Bugaboo. I checked with my awesome six senses”

“But I am sure—”

“You know,” Chat interrupted her, his serious tone causing her to look at him. “Maybe my senses are affected by the lack of the vitamin my healer told me about.”

“Lack of a vitamin?” she echoed back, clearly confused.

“Yes, a very essential vitamin for the body,” he answered somberly.

“Oh goodness, Chat!” The mermaid clasped her hands around her mouth in worry, “Are you okay? Why are you not eating well and—”

She was interrupted again, this time with his fingers on her lips put in a shushing motion. As she stared at him in shock, he whispered, “You.”

Ladybug just blinked.

“Vitamin U, that’s what I lack, M’Lady,” the blond claimed, his eyes sparkling with mischief and lips pulled in that stupid, lopsided grin of his.

The mermaid continued to look at him blankly, before without any word, she dived into the river.

Chat took a quick look behind his back, his faux ears trying to catch any suspicious noise. Earlier, he had been distracted enough to not notice anything. But it was best to not take any chances.

However, there wasn’t anything suspicious at all.

Maybe she had left because he had crossed a line?

Worried he might have made her uncomfortable for a second time in a week, Chat dashed towards the river bank and laid down on his stomach, peering into the dark river waters below.

If she was angry with him, he was surely in so much troub-

Suddenly, the water surface trembled as Ladybug emerged again, causing Chat to nearly yelp as he leaned back in shock and surprise.

Unlike the times when she rose out of water seeming completely dry, this time her entire form was noticeably covered in water, the droplets glimmering in the moonlight and making her skin shine like crystal. Her raven locks, too, clung to her face and form, the front bangs framing her face in a way that made it look both mysterious and enticing. 

Well, he was definitely in trouble now.

Before Chat could open his mouth to ask if she was alright, Ladybug suddenly leaned forward till their noses were almost touching. Chat let out a small yelp of surprise as his breath hitched, the sudden proximity causing his stomach to flip-flop around in anticipation and excitement. 

“Say, _chaton_ ,” she said in a low whisper, her left hand curling around the top of his shirt as she traced his jawline with her right, “If I were to take out two of the 26 letters of the English alphabet to give you an answer, which two will I take out?”

As water droplets fell from her body on his leather costume, he gulped audibly, his throat parched dry. And Ladybug’s smirk wasn’t helping his case at all.

“Uhm, ‘Q’ and ‘T’?” he chuckled nervously, trying to get over the effect Ladybug was having on him.

“Nope, try again,” she said in a low voice, giggling a bit as her fingernail dug into his cheek and caused him to inhale sharply.

“‘O’—’O’ and ‘K’?” He panted out hurriedly before leaning in to capture her lips. But she just dodged him at the right moment, her voice teasing.

“Nuh uh, wrong answers don’t get you kisses, kitty cat.”

The man just grumbled, wishing upon any star for this torture to get over.

“I—I give up. Please.”

Ladybug didn’t answer but just smirked, her eyes twinkling in challenge. 

Sighing, Chat hung his head down, rolling his eyes a little. 

“Okay, I give up. You win this round.”

“Yay!” the mermaid cheered, flapping her tail in water in excitement and hugging Chat tight. He let out a relieved chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her. 

He could deal with an excited, bubbly Ladybug. A finned seductress, though, was out of his league right now.

“So—” Chat asked after a moment as they broke the hug, “—curiosity’s killing this cat. What was the answer to your question?”

Chuckling, Ladybug pulled him close as she whispered lightly in his ear, “The answer is ‘N’ and ‘O’. And this is a consolation prize for you.”

Giving the surprised man a small peck on the cheek, the mermaid giggled as she dived back into the river and swam away.

Chat stared stupidly into the space for a moment or two, sighing in bliss, before the answer hit him.

“ **I DIDN’T JUST LOSE TO YOU ON THAT STUPID QUESTION!** ”

* * *

_“ I can just imagine the profit I’ll make, when Monsieur finds out that the supposedly clean river is full of those humanoid fish.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaannnnndddddd wait! What was that? _eyes the unknown person sitting in the dark corner beside me_
> 
> Also, check out this [beautiful fanart ](https://art-the-f-up.tumblr.com/post/623972421402263552/ladynoirjuly2020-day5-banter-mermaid-au) by Art-the-F-up on tumblr!
> 
> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


	6. Meeting The Future Bride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The doors opened and someone walked in. Adrien turned around, only for his gaze to land on the strange new girl who stood in the atelier.  
> He hoped against hope she hadn’t been present at yesterday’s ball, for that would only mean —

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **I live!**  
>  Okay, well, I know you guys know I live given I updated United as well as started with a Lukanette shot anddddd this fic is to blame for the Lukanette one, I swear! You will see why in the next chapter.  
> Also, this is the chapter where the story _finally_ develops — aka, where I diverge from the plot list for Ladynoir July 2020 as well. I wanted to put this along with Day 6 prompt, but the chapter got twice the usual length and seemed so awkward that I now have one finished and one half written chapter now xD
> 
> Thanks for bearing with me, hope you guys enjoy! <3

A beautiful melody echoed through the wide room. As the final chord was struck, the door opened.

“Adrien, your Father wishes to meet you,” the woman at the door said in a monotone, causing the blond at the piano to turn his attention to her.

“Is it about yesterday, Nathalie?” He asked nonchalantly.

“He didn’t disclose the purpose of the meeting.”

Adrien sighed. “Fine, I will be down in five minutes.”

As Nathalie left, Adrien distractedly pressed the piano keys again. Suddenly, the top of his black piano moved a bit and acid green eyes morphed into the instrument, blinking at him. Adrien suppressed a bark of laughter before shaking his head lightly. Reaching over, he moved his hand over the shiny surface, causing the piano to purr a bit. Finally, he got hold of something firm, and plucked the black cat out of the piano.

The cat hissed a bit at the sudden interruption from its relaxation, letting out a small yowl as Adrien cuddled it in his arms. But as the blond stroked his fur, the yowling died down to give way for purring.

“Say, Plagg, you have a knack of spooking me out, don’t you?” Adrien chuckled, dodging his finger away from the cat’s reach as it tried to bite him.

“Whatever kid, I am angry that you disturbed my peaceful catnap,” the cat snarked.

“But you are liking the cuddles~~”

The feline chose not to reply, opting to cuddle closer to his owner.

As he stroked Plagg absentmindedly, Adrien quietly asked, “What do you think Father wants to talk about?”

“Would bet my entire cheese stash this is about last night’s shenanigans,” came the reply.

Adrien sighed and put the cat down, “Guess I brought this upon myself. Stay hidden while I am gone, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know the drill,” Plagg said as he waved a dismissive paw in the air.

Shaking his head lightly, the blond walked out of his room in the direction of the atelier. The atelier where his father was waiting for him, probably to deliver to him another lecture on maturity and responsibility.

Reaching the grand doors, Adrien felt a bout of uneasiness pass over him. Years of subjugation to his father’s wishes had still left their impressions in adulthood. No matter how independent he wished to be, he sometimes couldn’t help but feel as if he was still held under Gabriel’s iron grip.

Knocking on the giant doors, the blond took a deep breath in, trying to calm his racing heart. A monotonous “Come in” came from the inside, prompting him to reach forward and enter the room.

Gabriel Agreste stood behind his desk, his eyes sifting through some random sketches. He spent a good moment or two at his task before turning his attention to Adrien, his neutral expression giving way to a slight frown.

“Hello, Father,” the blond greeted.

“Hello, Adrien. Can I have the pleasure of knowing where you were last night? For my reputation at the ball was severely compromised thanks to your frolicking,” Gabriel asked, cutting to the chase immediately.

Something in Adrien bristled. It had been a long time since his Father had had a proper conversation with him. Still, when they met again, the first thing the older Agreste cared about was Adrien’s whereabouts, and that too just because the Agreste reputation had been compromised?

Doing his best to not let his frustrations seep into his tone, Adrien replied in a cold monotone, “I was away from the ball, Father, to escape the clutches of all those high-class women who apparently were stickier than the stickiest glue we have.”

The older Agreste cocked an eyebrow as he held his chin thoughtfully, his mouth upturned in a slight smile. “Hmm, I guess you have got a point there, young man. Those ladies certainly didn’t care about your personal space, did they?”

The statement baffled Adrien. Was his Father actually agreeing with him for once?

Gabriel walked towards Adrien, clapping his hand on the younger Agreste’s shoulder as he proudly said, “Well, don’t worry son. You won’t have to encounter those ladies again.”

He turned his head up, looking in the direction of the doors before calling out, “Nathalie, please bring our guest in.”

The doors opened and someone walked in. Adrien turned around, only for his gaze to land on the strange new girl who stood in the atelier.

She wore a black satin evening dress with bell sleeves, overlaid in dark orange chiffon and black lace. The sweetheart neckline was a bit too deep for his liking. But what really unnerved the young man was the twinkle in her olive green eyes and the smile etched on her red-painted lips.

“Adrien, meet Ms. Lila Rossi. She has been eager to meet you since yesterday,” Gabriel informed.

“Um, hello?” Adrien greeted her, confused. “You have some news for me?”

He hoped against hope she hadn’t been present at yesterday’s ball, for that would only mean —

The young woman let out a shrill chuckle as she held his shoulder. “I now see what Monsieur Agreste meant by you being a ray of sunshine. Oh dear, I am your fiancée!”

On hearing her claim, Adrien immediately shrank away from her touch, “But—But I don’t even know you!”

He turned to his Father, eyes sparking in rage. “You said I could choose my bride!”

“And you refused that offer by running away, young man. That is no excuse to delay your wedding day.”

The young man tried hard not to grit his teeth at his Father’s words.

“As Adrien stated,” Gabriel turned to Lila, smiling, “You both don’t know each other. Then how about you young people solve that?” Gabriel suggested, heading for the door. “I have an important meeting I need to attend. Hope you two enjoy each other’s company.”

Saying what he needed to, the older Agreste left, leaving a shy Lila and a flabbergasted Adrien behind.

“So,” Lila spoke in a coy tone, “how about we go somewhere private and get to know each other?” 

She subtly hooked her arm on his elbow, her fingers lightly trailing up his arms, causing him to cringe. “Somewhere like your ro—”

“The river side!” Adrien interrupted her, much to her chagrin. “The riverside’s a cool idea, Ms. Rossi. Fresh air with much needed quiet.”

_ And open space _ , he mentally added sourly.

Putting on his best grin as he approached the door, Adrien asked in a faux cheerful tone, “So, shall we go?” 

Lila blinked stupidly for a moment, then broke into a coy smile of her own. “Sure, Adrien.”

* * *

“And my uncle was a student of the great Beethoven, oh! I wish I had learnt some piano from him before he passed away,” the brunette said in a simpering tone, dabbing at her eyes to wipe away the non-existent tears.

Beside her, Adrien plastered a sympathetic look on his face as he fought the urge to roll his eyes. In the fifteen minutes he had spent with her, this Rossi girl had just bragged on and on about her family and her charity work. 

According to her, she personally knew many famous people around the globe. Surprisingly, even though he was an Agreste, Adrien had never heard someone mention the title Rossi in any influential circle, let alone specifically name Lila.

Though he had to commend her on one thing. The woman had a fabulous ability to weave false stories and lie through her teeth.

“Oh, Adrien,” Lila cooed, holding his arm in what was meant to be a soft gesture but certainly was not, causing him to lean back a bit, “I have been talking only about myself all this time. Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?”

He nervously chuckled, rubbing at the nape of his neck in anxiety, “I—uh, you already know much about me, I am not someone unknown in the high-class, right? Uhm, how about you ask me yourself?”

The brunette held her chin in a thoughtful look, apparently thinking of some topic to converse on. Adrien took the beat of silence as a chance to gaze at the river that flowed beside him, his heart calming down a bit on seeing the sparkling waters. Thoughts about the masked beauty who lived underneath the surface helped his anxiety, too.

“Oh! I know what to ask!” Lila suddenly exclaimed, jerking him back to reality. “Is there anything about you that no one knows?”

“Something about me that no one knows?” the blond echoed her question.

“Yes,” she affirmed, leaning into his personal space and causing him to stagger back a little, “you know, since we are soon going to be married, there better be no secrets between us!”

He couldn’t help but stammer. “I, uh—”

_ Know what? I have a magical cheese-loving black cat who gives me the power to transform into Chat Noir and ALSO! I already have a love interest, a mermaid called Ladybug who is far more beautiful and truthful than you! And woe to me if I am going to tell you anything about this! _

Pausing his internal thoughts, Adrien looked towards the river in an attempt to calm himself down. And then an answer came to him.

“Well, since you asked,” he turned to catch Lila’s attention, before looking back at the river again, “I have always felt connected to water.”

“Connected to… water?” Lila echoed his words, disbelief evident in her tone.

“Yes.” The man’s eyes sparkled as he walked to the riverbank and bent down, slightly gliding his hand on the water surface and bringing his wet hand to his eyes, immediately feeling a shiver of pleasure run down his spine. “I feel like the water’s calling out to me, asking me to be one with it.”

There was a pregnant silence between the two, before it was broken by the sound of stifled chuckles. Confused, Adrien turned his head to see the brunette holding a palm over her mouth to prevent laughter from escaping her.

“Did I say something funny, Miss Rossi?” the man asked, his cold tone poorly masking the offense he felt.

“Oh, I-I am sorry Adrien, but…” her voice trailed off as she stifled another laughter, before continuing, “Your thoughts match with the pests of the water.”

“And?” He prompted her, an eyebrow raised in challenge.

“Well—” the young woman looked at him as if he had asked her about why water existed. Coughing a bit to regain her composure, she continued, “—uhm, you are an Agres—”

“I know who I am and let me tell you, Lila Rossi, my Father’s name does not define my thoughts. I am an independent individual with my own thoughts and feelings, and even if they match with the mermaids or what you call the ‘pests of the water’; I am actually glad they do.”

Getting up, he reached towards Lila, his acidic green eyes causing her to stagger back a bit.

“I-I really didn’t mea-mean to off—” she stammered.

“Save it.”

Saying so, the blond walked off, leaving behind a shocked, yet fuming Rossi girl.

* * *

“Okay, so she’s just like your Father. And?” Plagg nonchalantly asked, pawing at the ball of yarn that Adrien had tossed to him and completely ignoring his human who laid in his bed, face buried in the pillows.

Adrien lifted his head and exclaimed, “She’s my fiancée, Plagg!” 

And plopped his face back into the pillows, muffling his screams.

The cat sighed, pushing the yarn ball away and shaking his head remorsefully. He strutted over to the bed and jumped on his chosen’s back.

“You humans and your melodrama.”

“Whatever, it’s not like you have a secret love interest, you cheese monster,” came the muffled reply.

The cat bounced on the man’s back, before lightly scratching him with a claw and causing him to yelp. “Mind you, my love interest is your Bug’s guardian.”

Adrien turned his head to the side, glancing at his animal friend as a smirk adorned his face.

“Wasn’t Camembert the first and last love of your life?”

“Shush you,” Plagg nudged him on the face, causing the blond to giggle. “Now, if you have stopped moping about your currently messed up civilian life, what plans do you have for wooing your Lady fish tonight?”

Adrien blushed a bit, before his gaze turned to the piano that still stood in the middle of the room. He thought for a moment, then an idea dawned on him. 

“I guess I have just the perfect plan, Plagg.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


	7. Flowers To Say My Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pink roses for admiration, purple roses for love at first sight. That was the bouquet Chat had gotten for his Lady. Subtle yet meaningful.
> 
> He had never expected for Ladybug to present him with a bouquet of her own. 
> 
> He had least expected for a blue water lily to be the centerpiece of her bouquet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, one chapter and the tags got blasted 😂😂
> 
> Anyways, I am going to just use the prompts as an outline now. In other words, some prompts that do not fit with the story are simply going to be discarded, xD. 
> 
> This is day 6 prompt : Rose, presented with a slight twist 😉
> 
> (Also, if you see any mumbo-jumbo of words, that's the language of the merfolk. Simply read the words in a reverse order!)

Somewhere else, deep underwater, a princess was having troubles of her own.

“And I denied his feelings, then next day I hugged him tight, then the next day, when I ran away from the ball—”

“I KNEW YOU RAN AWAY!” her friend exclaimed. 

“Yes I did, but that’s beside the point, Al! So that day, he was very flirty, and initially I tried to tone it down but then something shifted. He looked so spectacular under the moonlight and—”

“GIRL?” 

“DON’T INTERRUPT! So, as I was saying, he was looking specta— wait what am I even saying I have gone crazy but whatever, something came over me and then I flirted with him, we were so close and everything had just stopped and then he leaned in and—”

“YOU KISSED?!” 'Al' echoed in surprise. 

“NO! WE DIDN’T! I ducked, teased him a bit more and then swam away and he was shouting something which I didn’t hear. OH MY GOD, ALYA! What if he hates me now? Our friendship is ruined, I lost a confidant and my only chance to get to know the human world and —”

Alya sighed out loud and held her best friend by the shoulders, breaking her out of her rant. Marinette blinked at her friend, once and twice, then opened her mouth once again.

Only for the said friend to shake her hard, her own hazel eyes shining with frustration.

“Aaaaallllyaaaaaa!!! STOP!” the poor princess screamed.

The orange finned mermaid finally stopped after a minute, causing Marinette to break away from her and shake her head rapidly.

“What was that for?!” she asked, clearly infuriated.

“Girl! You denied your feelings for him, then went on to hug him the next day. Not only that, you flirt with him—HOLY WATER FLIRT WITH HIM just because you find him ‘spectacular under the moonlight’?!”

Marinette looked at her gaping as Alya continued. “You are simply in clear denial of your feelings for him, hell, YOU FREAKING LOVE HIM! And YET! Yet your prime concern is ‘what if this breaks our friendship’?! I mean girl, you gave that poor guy a romantic concussion and—?!”

“I—heh?” Marinette stuttered, blushing a beautiful pink.

“Heh. HEH?! SERIOUSLY?!” Alya screamed again, turning around in frustration fast enough to cause a mini whirlpool.

“Alya, calm down and just breathe!” 

Stopping herself, Alya took a few deep breaths, water bubbling out of her gills. After feeling calmer than before, she turned back to her friend.

“Okay I am calm.”

“Phew,” Marinette sighed before continuing, “Okay, I know I messed things up big time by being totally confused about my feelings, which I still am, but…”

“But?”

“I want to apologise to him, Alya,” she said truthfully, concern shining in her eyes, “I want to let him know that I didn’t intend to make fun of his feelings. So, do you have any ideas for how I can do that?”

Alya mused for a bit, her eyebrows furrowed in thought, before a smile lit up her face. 

“How about you give him seashells? Or river pebbles? Or flowers?”

“Seashells is for lovers, Alya! And river pebbles, seriously? Though flowers do sound good, but… ” Marinette pondered deeply, “Isn’t that something couples do?”

“Not really,” Alya affirmed. “Flowers can be exchanged between friends too, for apologising for any misunderstanding or showing appreciation of the friendship. Plus, flowers light up anyone’s day, so—”

“It’s a great idea!” the mermaid princess clapped her hands. “Oh, Alya, you are the best!” 

She rushed forward to hug her best friend tight, spinning around in a small circle and causing them both to giggle.

“Girl, girl, girl, we still need to think about the flowers!” Alya pointed out once Marinette broke the hug.

“Oops, I forgot! But.. where will we get flowers from? I mean, I am really oblivious about the flower language thing, and then again—” a shadow passed over Marinette’s face as her tone dipped a little, “Thanks to some ‘sophisticated’ humans trashing the river, most of the flowers here… they have just vanished.”

Alya hugged her friend from behind, patting her back a little. The brunette was aware about how passionate Marinette was when it came to rivers and the aquatic life they held. From merpeople to aquatic animals to plants — the mermaid princess took great care of every single thing to ensure that they retained their beauty and serenity. No wonder she had always been angered by humans trashing their domain and killing the innocent aquatic beings for their pleasure.

Surely this human, Chat Noir, must have done something great to capture the Princess’ heart.

“Hey,” she spoke, causing Marinette to look up, “how about you go to Luka? Someone in his family is in the flower business, right?”

“Ah! Juleka’s fiancée Rose!” Marinette exclaimed happily. “You are right, Alya! I will go right now!”

And before Alya could say anything, Marinette swam off hurriedly, leaving a trail of bubbles behind.

“Girl, girl, girl.”

* * *

  
For the people on land, the Couffaines were a mysterious bunch — having appeared one day out of nowhere and residing in a houseboat on the outskirts of the city. All they knew was that it was a family of three — mother, elder son and younger daughter.

In the daytime, people could hear the sound of musical instruments from the boat or sometimes a shrill female voice shouting out instructions. Some people even knew the Couffaine boy by his looks — tall, built, black hair with blue tips and always carrying a lute-like instrument on himself.

But none of the Couffaines ever interacted with the public. And the public, being the public, didn’t care to interact with them either. 

Sometimes the flower girl — Rose Lavillant — had been spotted near the boat with a young purple-haired woman, but then again, influential families like the Bourgeois and the Agrestes were the talk of the town, not orphaned young women.

For the people of the river, though, the Couffaines were one of the very few sources of contacts with the lands above.

Luka Couffaine lounged on the deck of his boat, strumming his guitar absent mindedly as he stared off into the space. Suddenly, he perked up. Catching the tune that resonated in his heart and mind and flowed out naturally on the guitar strings. Getting up from his chair, he walked over to the railing and peered down, his fingers still strumming the guitar.

The water was calm for a moment, before a shadow appeared and bluebell eyes peeked up at him from the surface.

A slight smirk etched on his lips, his eyes gaining a teasing sparkle as he said in a low voice, “Caught you again, Ma-ma-marinette.”

The mermaid rose up a little, indignation clear in her eyes. “Not fair! How do you sense my presence everytime I try to sneak up on you?”

“Well, not my fault you have a unique heart song, my liege,” Luka said as he bowed, causing Marinette to chuckle before she raised her tail and dipped her head a bit, doing a curtsy of her own.

“So, what makes us selkies worthy enough to be graced by the presence of the Princess of these waters?” Luka asked in a teasing tone, causing Marinette to blush a little.

“Oh hush, you know that these formalities hold no meaning for me, Luka.”

The boy chuckled good naturedly. Marinette giggled too, before continuing, “So I actually came here ‘cause I needed Rose’s help.”

“Oh? With what, if I may ask?”

The mermaid blushed a little. “Um, I needed a-a bouquet.”

The selkie whistled, causing Marinette to blush even more as she ducked her head in the water. “Who’s the lucky merman?”

“Uhm,” Marinette looked everywhere but at Luka as she tried to answer the question,”it-it’s not a merman…”

Luka blinked once, twice in confusion before the realisation hit him.

Dropping his guitar, he lunged forward, gripping the railing tight as he stared hard at his friend.

“Are you telling me that… Princess Marinette Sirène… the one who passionately hates humans for their disrespect of aquatic life… IS IN LOVE WITH A FREAKING HUMAN?!”

“IT’S NOT LOVE _YET!”_ Marinette screamed, before clasping a hand to her mouth. “I-I mean, we are just friends! Yeah!”

She ignored the bitter twinge in her heart that followed her words.

“Oh, and I am secretly a ballerina at the local town show,” Luka deadpanned.

“Hm, you do have the looks for one…” 

“Marinette. Did you just. Question. My masculinity?”

The mermaid merely shrugged in response.

Luka chuckled. “I did walk into that one, but anyways,” he pushed himself off the railing, giving her a two-finger salute. “I will go get your girl for you.”

“How about you get the bouquet directly?”

“Nice idea, my liege,” Luka appreciated. “So, you want flowers that symbolise you two just being friends, right?”

“Yes,” Marinette ducked her head down, suddenly feeling shy.

“Okay then, a bouquet of ‘just friends’ flowers coming right up!” Luka announced as he turned to move.

“Uhm, Luka, could the flowers be aquatic? You know, they are a symbol for me and…”

“Gotcha! A ‘just friends’ aquatic bouquet will be soon at your service, my liege.” Giving the mermaid princess a quick bow, Luka left off.

Marinette hummed happily, ducking into the water again as she waited for Luka.

After what seemed like half an hour, the mermaid heard footsteps approaching. She looked up and frowned on catching no bouquet in sight.

“The flowers will not stay fresh if you take them right now. So, Rose suggested that she will bring the bouquet at night.”

“Oh, okay! So, what are the flowers Rose is bringing?”

“Hm, she told me that she is using yellow orchids as the main flower to symbolise friendship and new beginnings. And blue irises dotted around them, to symbolize faith and hope.”

“Nice, is there anything else?”

Luka chuckled nervously, ruffling his hair a bit, “Well, she also suggested a blue water lily, but—but I don’t know what it is for. Maybe for beautification only.”

“Oh, no problem! Blue and yellow does sound nice! So, how about I come with Chat here today at night? When the moon shines bright above in the sky?”

“Works pretty well,” Luka nodded eagerly. “Gives me a chance to meet the future mermaid prin—”

His rest of the words were drowned as Marinette doused him in water using her tail.

* * *

The gibbous moon shone high in the sky, the surroundings silent and serene. A man sneaked around the area, carrying something cone shaped in his hand. He swiped at his neon-green and black ring on his right finger. It flashed green for a moment before coming back to its normal colour. Stuffing his free hand back in his pocket, the man bounced on his heels and waited.

After a few moments, someone appeared from the waters.

“It’s been a long time since you used the communicator, Chat,” Ladybug teased as she leaned on the riverbank, resting her head on crossed hands.

“Well, I was unsure if you would come today…” Chat confessed as he walked towards her, hiding the conical shape behind his back as he rubbed at the nape of his neck with his free hand.

“Why wouldn’t I have come, chaton?” Ladybug asked confused, tilting her head to the side in question.

“Well…” his voice trailed off as he tried to search for answers. After all, why had he felt that she wouldn’t come? Was it because a very tiny part of him feared that she had seen him with Lila and—

Shaking his head wildly to get the thoughts away, Chat shoved the bouquet in her face before he gave up, “Nevermind, here, some flowers for you.” 

“I—uh,” Ladybug stammered, before accepting the bouquet. 

It was a beautiful arrangement of purple and pink roses, and Ladybug loved how the colours complemented each other. Under the moonlight, she could see the shimmering drops on the flower petals, indicating they had been plucked fresh.

Her eyes watered as she looked up at him. “Th-thanks a lot, Chat. I really appreciate this gesture—” she took a deep sniff, sighing in bliss, “—and they smell so good!”

“I-I am glad you like them, Milady.”

They stared at each other for a moment, lost in their own world. A sliver of moonlight fell on Chat, illuminating his blond hair to make them seem like gold threads. His green eyes shone like emeralds and the golden flecks in his eyes took her breath away. 

But then her gaze fell on the bouquet, and she remembered the gift she had prepared for him. 

"Say, _chaton_ ," she said in a soft, tentative voice, "would you like to see a place I have in mind?" 

"I would love to, Milady." 

She smiled, then placed the bouquet on the grass. Moving back a little in the water, the mermaid lifted her hands in air, raising some river water along with the swift movement. She motioned for the water to encase the bouquet, and then rolled her hands round and round. The water bent according to her will, swirling around the pretty flowers and encasing them in a protective bubble. 

She smirked at the human who was watching the display of magic in astonishment. 

"Perks of being the princess," she shrugged. 

He smiled at her and then motioned for her to lead the way. Diving back into the waters, Ladybug re-emerged with a flourish and started swimming towards her destination, followed by the bubble in the water and the human on land.

* * *

It was quite a run before the mermaid had slowed to a stop. Chat panted a little from the exercise. He breathed in deep, welcoming the burning feel of exertion in his muscles. Beside him, Ladybug flip-flopped in the river, before she dove underneath the waters. 

Chat looked around to find himself in the outskirts of the town, near the place of the mysterious Couffaines. In the dim moonlight, he could see the Couffaine houseboat docked near the shore. 

And his lady love banging her tail fin on the said boat. 

He ran over to her, shocked by her idiotic moves. Why was she banging on the boat and making her presence known to the _humans_ aboard it? Did she not care about her secret? 

To his horror, a light lit up on the boat and someone staggered out. He whisper shouted for Ladybug to duck back into the waters, but she paid him no heed. The human figure -- his build suggesting he was a young man -- clambered to the side of the deck and looked down the railing at the mermaid. He waved at her eagerly, before running back inside. 

To say Chat was confused would be the understatement of the century. 

For the two months since he had met Ladybug, he had always believed himself to be the only human aware of the presence of mermaids in the waters of La Seine. But now seeing her interact with a fellow human, he was proven wrong. 

Needless to say, something bitter twinged within him knowing that he wasn't the only one entitled to such precious a secret. 

The human, most probably the Couffaine lad, once again appeared in view and gestured towards the river bank. Though Chat couldn't understand the language in which the conversation was happening, he deciphered enough that someone was on the river bank. His sixth senses went on alert mode as he crouched behind some bushes, opting to stay hidden in safety. 

From his vantage point, the masked man saw the Couffaine male gesturing as if he wanted to jump down in the water. Ladybug was shaking her head in denial as she frantically waved her hands, her tail lashing. Even in her flailing state, Chat couldn't help but admire how cute she looked.

The man on the boat most probably didn't listen to her, for the next moment, Chat saw him jump in water. 

Ladybug dived into the waters too, before resurfacing back near the river bank a few moments later. But the man was nowhere in sight. 

Chat held his breath, waiting with bated breath for the Couffaine. Even though the mysterious man and Ladybug's relationship seemed to be purely platonic, the masked man couldn't help but feel jealous of the two interacting so freely, so naturally. 

His thoughts were interrupted by movements in water, and he trained his gaze on the water’s surface. 

Initially a few bubbles appeared, followed by a shadow and then, all of a sudden, the water surface split to reveal… 

… the glorious form of a seal leaping into the sky and diving back into the river. 

Chat's jaw dropped at the sight, and he sucked in a sharp breath of surprise as he came out of his hiding. Instantly, Ladybug turned to him and called him over happily, her sapphire gaze shining in the moonlight. 

Still surprised, Chat staggered to the river bank as the seal moved over to Ladybug's side. The man crouched low, allowing the water creature to jump up slightly and touch his nose in greeting. 

The seal then turned to Ladybug and let out a series of noises. Chat noticed her nod and hum in reply, and as the seal continued to chatter in its own tongue, Ladybug's cheeks suddenly flared a beautiful red.

"No!" she screamed, clapping her cheeks as she levelled the creature with a gaze. "Eh si ton ym revol! Ew era tsuj sdneirf, Luka!" 

Chat couldn't understand anything, but he did gather that the seal was probably named Luka. Said Luka pointed its(his?) flipper towards the flower bouquet, chattering in another string of cute seal noises. 

Ladybug let out a gurgling sound, before reaching over and dunking the creature's head in water. "Yas erom dna I lliw nword uoy ni eseht sretaw!" 

The poor creature flailed a bit before jumping up and onto the river bank, causing Chat to stagger back in shock. He shook his fur before rolling on the grass to get himself dry. 

Chat once again stared in astonishment as the seal shimmered a bit before attaining the form of a handsome human. 

His hair was black and dyed blue at the edges. His eyes were an oceanic blue. His build was lean and firm, and he wore a blue overcoat over a white shirt and navy blue pants. 

Luka looked at Ladybug , his gaze narrowing as a scowl formed on his face. "Hey! Now that was rude!" 

She merely dived into the water and resurfaced gracefully, smiling innocently, "Well, I am the Princess, aren't I?" 

"A snobby one." 

"Hey!" 

"What Princess nearly suffocates her subjects?" 

"You were speaking too much!" 

"But I was speaking the truth! Si eh ton eht erutuf Diamrem - -" 

"OKAY OKAY finned ladies and flippered gentlemen!" Chat hollered, breaking the duo's argument as they looked at him quizzically. "I do not understand a single word of what 'diamrem revol' stuff you both are speaking, but I can say that you both are pretty and beautiful, so stop fighting."

They blinked stupidly at him for a moment, before Ladybug groaned and Luka burst out laughing, rolling on the ground. Chat looked at the seal-man in confusion as the latter sat up and wiped at the corner of his eyes. 

"We haven't even met and I already like him," Luka chuckled. 

"Then why don't you keep him?" Ladybug snarked back. 

"Nah, he isn't the one I gave my jacket to, not that I would, especially when he is the futu--" 

Ladybug splashed him with water, drowning out his words. 

_Seriously, what the heck is happening here?_ Chat couldn't help but wonder. 

He cleared his throat to gather the other two's attention, and immediately Ladybug started rambling. "Oh goodness, I forgot to introduce you two! Chat, meet Luka Couffaine, my selkie friend. Yes, if you are wondering about the Couffaine thing, well, the Couffaines are selkies who migrated here and they are one of the few sources of connection we merfolk have with the human world. Them being selkies is why they stay so mysterious. Also, you might want to ignore whatever stupidity he spews from his mouth."

"Hey!" Luka objected, pouting in indignation. 

"Luka, I already told you about Chat, my best and only human friend. He's the only one I trust enough with the secrets of us aquatic folk, and he is the most sincere and the sweetest of all people I have ever known," Ladybug said, her gaze softening as it met with Chat. 

"Well, thank you for considering me worthy of your trust, Milady," Chat Noir said, bowing to her. 

Ladybug raised her fin over her head, curtsying back. 

"Now that introductions are done, I guess it is time for the gift to arrive!" Luka cheered, catching Chat's attention. 

"Gift?" he echoed back.

"Yes, gift!" Luka exclaimed, before turning around. "Bring in our Ladybug's gift for our Cat Man!" 

Chat looked in the direction Luka had yelled, and saw someone carrying a big blue and yellow bouquet towards them. They were accompanied by a tall girl, whose bangs shadowed her eyes.

The bouquet came nearer, and Chat finally saw the petite blonde woman who was holding the majestic thing up. 

"Here, this is for you!" she said in a sweet, chirpy voice. 

Chat took the offered bouquet, seeing the blonde sigh in relief as the tall girl rubbed her head affectionately. 

He turned to Luka, "Are they too…" 

"Oh," the male selkie caught on his question. "That tall girl, that's my selkie sister Juleka. And this sweet person by her side is Rose, a _human_ and my sister's fiancée." 

Luka must have caught the shocked expression on his face, for he chuckled. "It's okay for you to be shocked by this relationship. Even we were, when we came to know that Jules had given her skin to a human _girl_. I know how conservative humans can be, but then again, love knows no boundaries, right?" 

As much as a girl being in love with a girl was strange, the man couldn't help but agree with the selkie's words. _Love surely knows no boundaries_ , Chat thought as he looked at his Lady, his heart swelling with devotion for her. 

He looked at the flowers in his hand, marveling at their beauty. Yellow orchids for friendships and new beginnings, and blue irises for faith and hope. 

And then there was the main flower -- a fully bloomed, bright blue water lily. 

Chat was confused -- hadn't his lady told him a few days before that she wanted to stay as friends? Then why the hell did the bouquet have the Egyptian symbol of love as its main flower? 

He looked towards the mermaid, who was biting her lower lip and fiddling with her fingers as she looked at him. He looked at the bouquet, then back at her, then again at the bouquet -- and he couldn't help the color rising in his cheeks. 

Clearing his throat, he finally whispered, "These are marvelous, MiLady." 

Beside him, Rose squealed, Juleka smiled and Luka grinned. Ladybug flushed a pretty red as she ducked into water, smiling bashfully. 

Chat moved forward and laid down on the grass, his eyes at level with the mermaid. As her innocent sapphires gazed at him, he felt into his pants' pocket and pulled out a deep red rose with a flourish. 

He gently put his hand in the water, pulling hers out of it. And then placed the rose in her delicate hands, closing her soft fingers round it. And then, he softly kissed her cheek, causing her to gasp. 

"I got to go now, but you can keep the rose. It goes with your tail." 

Saying so, he got up. Giving the others a two finger salute and then winking at her, he went away. 

Leaving behind in his wake, a flushed and flattered Mermaid Princess of La Seine.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there, the Ladynoir moment we all waited for! Ugh, every ship in this fandom is so sugary sweet! And with this chapter, I also want to announce the temporary hiatus I am going on, 'cause life is life and student life is far more interesting in these terms xD.
> 
> Hope to see ya all very soon, till then Stay Miraculous! ❤️❤️
> 
> Love,  
> Mini :p 
> 
> Update: [ I did do this, didn't I?! ](https://art-the-f-up.tumblr.com/post/626261256675917824/this-is-it-this-is-my-revenge-the-drawings)

**Author's Note:**

> Story also shared on my [Main tumblr](https://mininoire.tumblr.com/) and [Writing Tumblr](https://noirewrites.tumblr.com/).
> 
> If you are looking for a friendly MLB community to discuss your ideas, plots or share views regarding the show, or to simply be a part of a MLB server, join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord server](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) today!


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